City of Boston Mayor Martin “Marty” J. Walsh presented the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) 17th annual John T. Dunlop Lecture in Housing and Urbanization on Monday, March 20, addressing a full Piper Auditorium at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Drawing from his decades of experience in construction, policy-making, and politics, Walsh focused on housing, especially the housing-related challenges posed in Boston, as well as current debates on housing budget and policy at the federal level.

A former trade-union leader and Massachusetts state representative, Walsh noted that housing and community development are integral to his efforts to ensuring Boston is a “thriving, healthy, and innovative city” with “equality and opportunity for all.” Nodding to the contributions of John Dunlop, Walsh stated, “[Dunlop] spent his career bringing together academics, government officials, workers, and labor leaders to better understand our shared challenges. … I’ve found that kind of dialogue and collaboration to be invaluable throughout my career.”